The Crane Pool Forum

Seeing a report on MLB.com that he is headed our way.

Not official yet as it's still in the 'medical stage' of things, so no word on return to the Nats.
Winker is a 30 y/o FA-to-be so this is strictly a rental.
Likely also means the end of the DJ Stewart era.

He'll have to win fans over after being a frequent thorn in our side, but he's a massive upgrade over Gamel and Stewart.

I hope we're talking to the Nats about Dylan Floro as well.

Also probably good enough to play every day, as it’s a bit unclear as to when or if Marte returns.

smg58 wrote: ↑Sun Jul 28, 2024 7:09 am He'll have to win fans over after being a frequent thorn in our side ...

He'll be fine. He had fun with the booing and the chanting from NYM fans.

Pretty much what we required-- corner outfielder who hits RHP especially. Feel for Stewart but he's out of a job with the Mets at least.

Frayed Knot wrote: ↑Sun Jul 28, 2024 7:25 am

smg58 wrote: ↑Sun Jul 28, 2024 7:09 am He'll have to win fans over after being a frequent thorn in our side ...

He'll be fine. He had fun with the booing and the chanting from NYM fans.

The fans already love him, it's a small adjustment from loves to hate to loves to love

Career numbers:
.278/.383/.469 // 851 vs RHP
.210/.323/.338 // 660 vs LHP
so a significant difference though good walk rates in both cases

.275/.374/.419 // 810 this year in 379 PA w/the Nats
Career: .263/.370/.441

So walks a lot, Ks a bit, decent LH power: iow, a better version of DJ Stewart who also runs and fields better.

Frayed Knot wrote: ↑Sun Jul 28, 2024 7:25 am

smg58 wrote: ↑Sun Jul 28, 2024 7:09 am He'll have to win fans over after being a frequent thorn in our side ...

He'll be fine. He had fun with the booing and the chanting from NYM fans.

He once traded a ball for a fan’s sign that read “Jesse Winker you’re a straight up bitch.”

3 career steals before 2024.
14 steals in 2024.

bmfc1 wrote: ↑Sun Jul 28, 2024 8:02 am 3 career steals before 2024.
14 steals in 2024.

A fantasy baseball manager's fantasy

I'm not sure Winker is an upgrade over any Mets outfielder but the more the merrier I guess

We need a starting pitcher more than anything

There is reporting that Binghamton pitcher Tyler Start goes in return for Winker

ashie62 wrote: ↑Sun Jul 28, 2024 8:28 am I'm not sure Winker is an upgrade over any Mets outfielder

Well he is over Marte simply on account of being able to play, and certainly is over DJ Stewart offensively and defensively.
He'll allow both Taylor & Bader to face fewer RHPs, and maybe will get some DH time vs RHPs to give Martinez the occasional day off.

It's an upgrade.

ashie62 wrote: ↑Sun Jul 28, 2024 8:31 am There is reporting that Binghamton pitcher Tyler Start goes in return for Winker

If so, Tyler Stuart is a 6' 9"/250 lb RH who was a 6th round 2022 draft pick out of Southern Mississippi U
Will turn 25 in October, currently 3-7; 3.96 ERA; 1.25 WHIP in 17 AA starts.
Was better last year in Brooklyn [14 starts, 1.55 ERA / 1.04 WHIP]

Stuart had recovered from a rough start to the year in Binghamton and was pitching well lately (two earned runs or less in his last six starts). He was probably ready for a promotion to Syracuse.

We're in an odd spot with pitchers right now. On one hand, their fragility has to cut into their value. On the other hand, Stuart will be an optionable arm for three seasons and we always have less pitching depth than we think.

Frayed Knot wrote: ↑Sun Jul 28, 2024 7:43 am

Frayed Knot wrote: ↑Sun Jul 28, 2024 7:25 am

smg58 wrote: ↑Sun Jul 28, 2024 7:09 am He'll have to win fans over after being a frequent thorn in our side ...

He'll be fine. He had fun with the booing and the chanting from NYM fans.

He once traded a ball for a fan’s sign that read “Jesse Winker you’re a straight up bitch.”

Big LOL.

smg58 wrote: ↑Sun Jul 28, 2024 8:46 am Stuart had recovered from a rough start to the year in Binghamton and was pitching well lately (two earned runs or less in his last six starts). He was probably ready for a promotion to Syracuse.

We're in an odd spot with pitchers right now. On one hand, their fragility has to cut into their value. On the other hand, Stuart will be an optionable arm for three seasons and we always have less pitching depth than we think.

I do not like this trade. Jesse Winker is Ben Gamel in my eyes anyway

DJ Stewart optioned. Winker dons 3.

A good pickup! Power, speed, OPS+...he has them all!

Could end up being like Jeff Francoeur or Ryan Church, but if we can squeeze a good half-a-year out of him, I'll be satisfied.

Tyler Stuart isn't a huge cost, either. He's almost 25 and still at Double A.

That's certainly not unusual. It mostly just means he went to college.

It's still under the mean for AA and he was on the verge of a AAA assignment anyhow.

ashie62 wrote: ↑Sun Jul 28, 2024 11:28 am I do not like this trade. Jesse Winker is Ben Gamel in my eyes anyway

Gamel is a year and a half older but has played less regularly so their career PA/AB are about the same:
- Winker's BA is 11 pts higher, his OBA and SLG numbers 38 & 58 pts higher.
- OPS/OPS+ = 715/95 (G) and 810/119 (W), so one about 5% below lg avg in hitting while the other 19% better
- HRs 40 (G) to 92 (W)

Winker may be a lot of things, but a Ben Gamel clone doesn't seem to be one of them

ashie62 wrote: ↑Sun Jul 28, 2024 11:28 am

smg58 wrote: ↑Sun Jul 28, 2024 8:46 am Stuart had recovered from a rough start to the year in Binghamton and was pitching well lately (two earned runs or less in his last six starts). He was probably ready for a promotion to Syracuse.

We're in an odd spot with pitchers right now. On one hand, their fragility has to cut into their value. On the other hand, Stuart will be an optionable arm for three seasons and we always have less pitching depth than we think.

I do not like this trade. Jesse Winker is Ben Gamel in my eyes anyway

For what it's worth, whatever Gamel's role is on this team (and I'm not sure he even really has one, outside of being a placeholder), he's done pretty well. 11 G, 9 ABs, 6 runs scored. .333 OBP despite a .111 batting average...pound for pound, he's better than DJ Stewart (and DJ Stewart has a lot of pounds!).

Cowtipper wrote: ↑Sun Jul 28, 2024 1:29 pm

ashie62 wrote: ↑Sun Jul 28, 2024 11:28 am

smg58 wrote: ↑Sun Jul 28, 2024 8:46 am Stuart had recovered from a rough start to the year in Binghamton and was pitching well lately (two earned runs or less in his last six starts). He was probably ready for a promotion to Syracuse.

We're in an odd spot with pitchers right now. On one hand, their fragility has to cut into their value. On the other hand, Stuart will be an optionable arm for three seasons and we always have less pitching depth than we think.

I do not like this trade. Jesse Winker is Ben Gamel in my eyes anyway

For what it's worth, whatever Gamel's role is on this team (and I'm not sure he even really has one, outside of being a placeholder), he's done pretty well. 11 G, 9 ABs, 6 runs scored. .333 OBP despite a .111 batting average...pound for pound, he's better than DJ Stewart (and DJ Stewart has a lot of pounds!).

Jesse Winker is good. Ben Gamel is not, unless you want to judge him solely on the one double he hit today, which would be even less informative than 9 AB.

I almost assume Gamel must be out of options since they sent Stewart down instead of him, unless the idea is to get Stewart some regular AB so he's more up to speed for the stretch run if they need him. He's had some big hits and shown some good power with the Mets.



Winker should be a nice add, though his defense his poor as well, definitely gives the lineup a little more length, and raises the floor a bit should some of the other guys struggle.

Jesse was pretty bad last year — playing for David Stearns, as it so happens. He was merely meh the year before.

He's having a nice comeback season. A lot of that is his on-base-iness, which is a good foundational skill that has shown throughout his career. But his 2023 was something akin to DJ Stewart's 2024, where his selectivity got him his walks, but also led to a sub-.200 batting average.

He could pull a Tyler Naquin on us, but I'm hopeful that he will not. Anyhow, they had to send three guys away to get Naquin.